Anagallis monelli plant cultivar ‘Wildcat Pink’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultiva of  Anagallis  plant named ‘Wildcat Pink,’ characterized by its vigorous and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; numerous single flowers that are bright pink in color; and good garden performance.

GOVERNMENT SPONSORSHIP

This invention was made with government support under 01-90015-0420 awarded by the USDA/Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service. The government has certain rights in the invention.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Anagallis monelli cultivar ‘Wildcat Pink’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Anagallis plant, botanically known as Anagallis monelli, previously identified with code number UNH U70-5 and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Wildcat Pink’.

The new Anagallis is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Durham, N.H. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Anagallis plants with freely and early flowering habit.

The new Anagallis originated from a hybridization made by the Inventor on Feb. 2, 2001 in Durham, N.H. between two proprietary selections of Anagallis monelli, not patented, identified as code number UNH 957-8, and UNH 957-4. A single plant from the resulting progeny identified as code number UNH 0184-1 was selfed on Jun. 6, 2001. The new Anagallis was selected as a single plant from the resulting F2 progeny on the basis of its plant habit and novel flower coloration.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal vegetative cuttings since Nov. 15, 2001, in Durham, N.H. has shown that the unique features of this new Anagallis are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar ‘Wildcat Pink’ have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Wildcat Pink’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Wildcat Pink’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Vigorous and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit:     -   3. Numerous single flowers that are bright pink in color.     -   4. Good garden performance.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Durham, N.H., plants of the new Anagallis differed from plants of Anagalis ‘Wildcat Orange’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,136, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Anagallis had bright pink flowers.     -   2. Plants of the new Anagallis were more upright and vigorous         than plants of the cultivar ‘Wildcat Orange’.     -   3. Plants of the new Anagallis had larger flowers than plants of         the cultivar ‘Wildcat Orange’.     -   4. Plants of the new Anagallis had larger leaves than plants of         the cultivar ‘Wildcat Orange’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Anagallis.

One photograph comprises a side perspective view of one typical 20-cm container of ‘Wildcat Pink’ with three plants.

The other photograph is a close-up view of typical flowers and leaves of ‘Wildcat Pink’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Durham, N.H., in a heated polyethylene-covered greenhouse with 21° C. day/18° C. night set points. After planting rooted cuttings, plants were grown for about four months in 20-cm containers with three plants per container. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Color was evaluated under indirect, natural light.

-   Botanical classification: Anagallis monelli cultivar ‘Wildcat Pink’. -   Parentage: F2 progeny from the following hybridization:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Anagallis monelli             identified as code number UNH 957-8, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Anagallis monelli             identified as code number UNH 957-4, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About five days at 21° C.         -   Time to develop roots.—About 15 days at 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white, color 155D.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Form.—Annual flowering plant; vigorous; initially upright,             then semi-upright to outwardly spreading and trailing;             uniformly mounded plant form. Freely branching habit with             lateral branches potentially forming at very node.         -   Plant height.—About 25 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread), single plant.—About 35 cm.         -   Vigor.—Vigorous; rapid growth rate.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About             2.5 mm. Internode length: 2-3 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: 146B.         -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite; towards             terminals, in whorls of three; simple; sessile. Length:             About 2.2 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Venation pattern: Mid-vein             visible. Color: Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces:             137C. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: 137D. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: 137A, with minute random             spots, 185B. Venation, upper surface: 137A. Venation, lower             surface: 137C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single star-shaped flowers; flowers             face mostly upward or outward; terminal or axillary; freely             flowering habit. 3-4 flowers per node; about 7 open flowers             and about 10 flower buds per lateral branch at one time.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower from April to             October in the Northern Hemisphere until frost in the             autumn; flowering continuous during this period. Plants             start flowering about six to eight weeks after planting             rooted cuttings. Flowers not persistent.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About four to five days.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 1.8 cm. Depth (height): About 5             mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 9 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Ovate. Color: 67AA.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five petals arranged in a             single whorl. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 8 mm.             Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Truncate. Margin: With             tiny teeth. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: 67A. When             opening, lower surface: 67CA. Fully opened, upper surface:             67A, base 74C, some petal areas with absence of coloration.             Fully opened, lower surface: 68A; base, 67A.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Five sepals arranged in a             single whorl between the petals; star-shaped. Length: About             5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Narrowly lanceolate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 137A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Angle:             About 90° from the main stem, then more upright. Strength:             Moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Anther shape: Sickle-shaped. Anther length: About 1.5 cm.             Anther width: less than 1 mm. Anther color: 17A. Pollen             amount: Absent. Filament length: About 4 mm. Filament width:             About 1 mm. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One. Pistil             length: About 5 mm. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color:             66D. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: 151D. Ovary color:             146C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and/or fruit production has not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Anagallis have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Anagallis. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Anagallis have been observed     to have good garden performance, and tolerate temperatures from −5     to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Anagallis plant named ‘Wildcat Pink,’ as illustrated and described. 